In the field of automotive design, it is desirable in some instances to provide a covering over a hinged surface. Generally, hinge covering systems are used for aesthetic purposes and to help reduce the likelihood of contact with the hinge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,247 ("the '247 patent") describes some prior art hinge covering systems used for automobile door systems. One door installation arrangement includes a door body that is pivotally connected to a vehicle body by a double hinge member having a dash side member. The double hinge member is hingedly connected at one end section to the front end section of the door body and hingedly connected at the other end thereof to the rear end face of the dash side member. A door trim is attached to the door body on the side of a passenger compartment, and a dash side trim is attached to the dash side member on the passenger compartment side. A hinge trim is also attached to the double hinge ember on the passenger side of the compartment. With this arrangement, it is necessary to form a space between the hinge trim and the door body by rounding off the end of the hinge trim in order to prevent interference of the hinge trim with the door body, particularly when the door body is opened to be in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. Rounding the end of the hinge trim may result in the exposure of a pivot point.
Another hinge trim system described in the '247 patent is used with a double hinge member having a first end section hingedly connected to a door body of the vehicle. A second end section of the double hinge member is hingedly connected to the body of the vehicle.
The hinge trim is movably disposed on an inboard side of and separate from the double hinge member. The hinge trim has first and second end sections. A second hinge member is provided such that the first end section of the hinge trim is hingedly connected to a door trim through the second hinge member. Additionally, a sub-hinge member is provided such that the second end section of the trim is connected to a member in close proximity to the vehicle body through the sub-hinge.
The hinge trim is disposed separate from the double hinge member and movable independently from the double hinge member. Additionally, the opposite end sections of the hinge trim are respectively connected to the vehicle body and the door body side through a sub-hinge member and the hinge member. As a result, additional components are needed to complete installation of this hinge trim system.
There is needed a hinge trim covering system that permits a substantial portion of the hinge, particularly at pivot points, to remain at least partially covered regardless of the position of the hinge.